Hinge



(No Model.)

J.G.BE0K1 HINGE.

No. 256,816. Patented Apr.25,1882.

[@num M 'msses UNITED STATES PATENT OFEieE.

JOHN Gr. BECK, OF MEOHANIOSBURG, ILLINOIS.

HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,816, dated April25, 1882.

7 Application filed September 24, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. BECK, ofMechanicsburg, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Gate-Hinges; and I do herebyclaim that the following description, taken in connection wit-l1 theaccompanying drawings, hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exactspecification of the same.

The object of my invention is to obviate the difficulties met with inusing farm-gates when the outer end has sagged from its originalposition. This I do by constructing the lower hinge of the gate in sucha way that the gate plate or strap will be adjustable on the gate and beheld in any position by a pawl and ratchet gate-plate, so that the outerend of the gate may easily be raised or lowered sufliciently to meet therequirements. At the top of the gate any common form of hinge may beused.

In the accompanying drawings.,Figure 1 is a view of the-hinge properlyadjusted when the gate is closed. Fig. 2 is a vertical view, showing thepawl G and stay-plate D. Fig. 3 is a side view of the guide'platc B, andFig.- at is a side view of the guide-pin E.

In all the figures, A represents the ratchet gate strap or plate of thehinge; B, the guideplate; 0, the pawl; D, the stay-plate; E, theguide-pin.

The gates-trap A is made to run on a common pintle, and is notpermanently attached to the gate, but is held in place by the guideplateB and pin E. D is the stay-plate, held in place by bolts. The pawl O,which moves on the pivot at its upper end, works in the notches on theupper edge of plate A. Then the weight of the gate is set upon thehinges the ratchet, guide-pin, and pintle hold the plateA iminovably inplace In case the gate sags, or in case of snow or other obstaclespreventing the free use of the gate, the outer end may be raised. Thepawl G, falling in the uotclws ot'A, will substantially support it atthedesirvd height. The gate can be lowered by lifting the ratchet, whenit will resume its place. As the gate can be-adjusted without wrench orother tool, it can be quickly set to allow the passage of small animalsunder; or a gate seldom used may be allowed to rest halt its weight atthe outerend on a stone or piece of wood, instead of hanging entirelyfrom one post.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the ratchet-plate A, guide-plate B, with pawl (J,slay-plate D, and guide-pin E, all constructed and arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose herein represented and described.

JOHN G. BECK.

Witnesses:

R. W ILKINS, J. N. SPARROW.

